The Notebook Trilogy - Ágota Kristóf

 

Yet another Hungarian book (well, a trilogy) and one that for two thirds was absolutely mind-blowing. 

The first book, with the twins' penchant for self-discipline, their unique view of the world and their twisted ethic, was an absolute work of art finishing with the most dramatic couple of lines I've read in a long, long time when one of them crosses the border. 

The second book was softer, but revealed unexpected elements of depth in the character of one of the twins, and also acted as a very interesting depiction of an unnamed country (well, Hungary) during the Cold War. 

But the revelation of the lie in the third book, instead of adding a further element of intrigue, it unfortunately made me lose interest in the trilogy, and actually left me rather disappointed after having been so enthralled by what I believed were the true elements of the first two books. 

Agent Running in the Field - John le Carré

 

A book that I read in part in digital form, and in part as a hard copy at our local library while my younger daughter was busy reading (well, actually just leafing through, she's three!) dozens of Bluey, Spot and - much to my chagrin - Peppa Pig books. 

Le Carré is one of those authors who make me wonder whether one can be both a great writer and have near universal reach. Very few can, and I believe le Carré belongs in that list. 

Sure, the ending of the book feels rushed and underexplored, but we're talking about an author who, at the tender age of 88, was probably feeling the pressure of time more than others (and he might have a point, as he died soon after the publication of this book). 

Apparently Agent Running in the Field has been described by many as le Carré's Brexit novel, which is obviously reductive, but I did love his decision to air out his anger and frustration with that whole bonkers project: while the likes of Ali Smith and Ian McEwan are preaching to the choir when they criticize Brexit, I suspect le Carré's readership covers a much broader socio-political spectrum and so his move was a lot bolder and riskier (though again, at 88 he probably didn't have too much to lose). 

Bel-Ami - Guy de Maupassant

  

Nope. Maybe I'm just inoculated against the decadence of late-19th century Paris, but I just didn't enjoy this novel (probably the fact that in my edition the front cover was actually the latest movie rendition of the story, and I found Robert Pattinson unconvincing in the role even in picture). 

The one positive, I guess, is that there are some very well-developed female characters, and they also have a fair bit of agency. Yet, the story of the scoundrel who climbs the social ladder by virtue of tricks and charm is as old as time, and I suspect that was already the case in the 1880s, so there is little to remark (or at least to positively remark) in terms of plot development.

Berta Isla - Javier Marias

  

Javier Marías is one of those authors who can get away with pretty much anything and, despite what most critics seem to think, I found Berta Isla to be quite a self-induldgent project. 

Marías remains - regardless of him pump and ego - one of the best writers in the world (one doesn't just lose talent after all!), but I found this novel to be, well, uninteresting. I can do with unlikeable and/or unrelatable characters. I mean, after all some of my favourite books are full of unlikeable and unrelatable characters. 

Then again, had I not just finished John Banville's The Untouchable, I would have probably had a lot ore time for Berta Isla.

Our Man in Havana – Graham Greene

I teach a couple of courses on 20^th century history in what is meant to be an elite global university. I wish my students would read this book before our class on the Cuban Missile Crisis (just as I wish they would read The Quiet American before our class on the Vietnam War). However, I have the feeling that my students have the attention-span of a goldfish and cannot cope with many of the books and movies that I suggest they read and watch (one of them even told me that, as far as historical movies go, my Battle of Algiers and Deer Hunter pale in comparison to her Pearl Harbor).

Our Man in Havana is one of those books that made me laugh out loud, much to the surprise and worry of my wife. Yet, when you realize that the lives of Cifuentes, Wormold, Hasselbacher etc. might really be in danger, you just want to get to the last page of the book as quickly as you can to make sure they are all ok in the end. Sadly, not all of them are.

The book’s last-line is, to me, as wonderful as it gets.

As far as tales of misunderstandings and mistaken attempts on innocents’ lives go, this might even beat North by Northwest.